[Pidgin] #1020: Bring back the protocol icons

[Pidgin]

#1020: Bring back the protocol icons
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 Reporter:  xris          |       Type:  enhancement
   Status:  new           |   Priority:  minor      
Component:  pidgin (gtk)  |    Version:  2.0        
 Keywords:                |    Pending:  0          
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 Yes, I know about #741, #414 and the "consistency" document.  Yes, I
 realize that I'm being a pest, but I want to play the part of the squeeky
 wheel and you don't allow comments on already-closed tickets (don't worry,
 I won't open another ticket when you close this one).

 Here's my example:

 I have friends who connect via AIM on their computers and via jabber via
 blackberry (this applies to many google employees, and presumably others
 as well).  When AIM goes into "away" mode, Pidgin automatically switches
 to the jabber account (which never goes away), but now offers no such
 indication that this has happened.  It drives them nuts for
 messages/conversations to constantly flicker between devices.

 I also miss the old "aim-mobile" type protocol icons that I could use to
 tell if certain friends were connecting via mobile devices, and '''would
 be charged money''' if I sent them an IM.  In those cases, I would avoid
 chatting with them unless it was important.

 Why is it so bad to create a plugin or config option to appease the
 apparently large number of users who continuously request this feature,
 perhaps just displaying the protocol icon next to (or overlayed on) the
 gem?  Obscuring valid information in the name of consistency isn't a good
 excuse when adding an option (even one burried in a config file) to let
 people override this consistency of their own volition is such a
 relatively easy task.

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Ticket URL: <http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/1020>
Pidgin <http://pidgin.im>
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